Tweeter Question

[billross77]

I am about to go outside and replace my tweeters. I will be adding an amp, and will run the tweeters and 3.5s to the same channel in a 2ohm load. Here is my question:

If I cut the factory tweeter wire in the A pillar, and run a new set of wires down the panel towards the factory amp, does it cut the circuit off that feeds amp power to the tweeter (via factory wires)? I ask this because my fear is that if I cut it in the A pillar, the factory wires will try to feed amp power to the 3.5, which feeds the tweeter, then it will function as if 3 speakers are being powered instead of 2. With this option, I will wire in new speaker wires from the amp out to my trunk. If I use the factory tweeter wire, I will just need to run a wire to the trunk for the 3.5's, which will already be connected to the tweets. If I cut the factory wires at the tweeter and run new tweet wires, I will still run the 3.5 wire from the factory harness to the trunk, but also a second wire for the tweets.

I hope this exhaustive question make sense.

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[wildcatgoal]

Generally, if you cut off a dedicated amplified line out from any amplifier, it will not have any effect on the amp other than making it work less (with a tweeter... negligable difference). If that line out from the amplifier is shared with another speaker and you are retaining that other speaker's connection to the amp, you will change the ohm load to the amp, which will affect the amplifier and is not recommended, especially if it ends up seeing a lower numerical value ohm load. Some factory amplifiers have circuitry to cause the amp to shut down, throw a code, or some other error if the amplifier sees no load. I doubt Ford implemented that in this case. You can reuse the factory wiring as you see fit so long as you are not changing the ohm load the OEM amplifier is seeing.

If you are replacing the tweeter, I recommend you put in a silk dome. Aluminum tweeters where these are bouncing off of the windshield and so forth will probably be harsh.

 

[billross77]

It will be running to a new amp. The current wiring has the 3.5 and tweeter on the same channel, and since it looks like a PITA to run new wire into the door, I was hoping to use the factory wire on the tweeter. This would leave me able to wire directly into the harness. Damn this is a confusing way to ask a question. Sorry guys, but I think Ill start with the factory wire and see how it sounds. If it isnt working or sounding right, Ill run a new wire from the tweeter back to the amp.

 

[Racemaster]

I had the jbl gto 329 and the jbl 19t running for abit.Like the gentleman said,it is very harsh.Two aluminum tweeters running at the same time was not good.I swapped out the midrange for a faital pro with a 6db bandpass crossover covering about 400-5000hz.I modded the jbl tweeter crossover to move the range from 2500 up to 5000hz.This sounds ok,but still bites you some when it gets cranked up.You need to look at a jl audio or cdt type silk dome for smoothness.

Right now I am swapping everything out for Hertz Mille Pro components.I too am using the factory wiring,so this required cutting the crossover into sections which will be mounted at each speaker.It is this weekends project,and I hope to have pictures up for you guys by sunday night.

 

[Mid_life_crisis]

I had the jbl gto 329 and the jbl 19t running for abit.Like the gentleman said,it is very harsh.Two aluminum tweeters running at the same time was not good.I swapped out the midrange for a faital pro with a 6db bandpass crossover covering about 400-5000hz.I modded the jbl tweeter crossover to move the range from 2500 up to 5000hz.This sounds ok,but still bites you some when it gets cranked up.You need to look at a jl audio or cdt type silk dome for smoothness.

Right now I am swapping everything out for Hertz Mille Pro components.I too am using the factory wiring,so this required cutting the crossover into sections which will be mounted at each speaker.It is this weekends project,and I hope to have pictures up for you guys by sunday night.

If you're on a budget, Polk makes a decent soft dome for cars too.

Is that JBL the GTO19 ? I was looking at those, thanks for the warning on how harsh they are.
[Edit] I just realized we can't be talking about the same tweeter; JBL says the ones I'm looking at are soft dome.

 

[Racemaster]

Yes it is the gto 19t.I know they say its a soft dome,but it looks aluminum when you look inside the grill cover.They are not as bad as some,but still harsh when you crank them up.I would look for a silk dome if you want it smooth.

 

[mumbles]

Bill, can you describe your intended final system in a bit more detail? You have a couple of threads going and maybe we can clear things up in just one spot

 

[billross77]

I got it all hooked up. I kept all the wiring and soldered new wiring from the post amp harness, with the exception of the rear deck speakers. Everything went back together just fine, except the hood release latch. I managed to break that somehow.

 

[billross77]

By the way...thanks to everyone that has used this forum to pass along info. I was able to do this with the help of my brother, and know where to go to find what I need. Forums like these are invaluable in helping car owners enjoy their cars to the fullest.

 

[wildcatgoal]

It will be running to a new amp. The current wiring has the 3.5 and tweeter on the same channel, and since it looks like a PITA to run new wire into the door, I was hoping to use the factory wire on the tweeter. This would leave me able to wire directly into the harness. Damn this is a confusing way to ask a question. Sorry guys, but I think Ill start with the factory wire and see how it sounds. If it isnt working or sounding right, Ill run a new wire from the tweeter back to the amp.

You can do that as long as you tap all wiring AFTER the factory amp. I do that all the time in GM cars which share the tweeter with the speaker in the door (the tweeter has a capacitor to filter out sound it cannot produce, in this case). I just cut the wire where it comes into the car for the door speaker and solder new wire to it (SOLDER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!). Then I use the OEM wiring to send signal to the new tweeter. I do it this way because, yes, going into a door is a pain in the royal behind these days with the connectors you'd otherwise have to drill through. If someone is sending <100 watts to their speaker, the stock wiring is fine. In my last car, I sent 200 watts to each door speaker so I ran in new wiring through the door connector, which is a painful experience.

 

[Mid_life_crisis]

By the way...thanks to everyone that has used this forum to pass along info. I was able to do this with the help of my brother, and know where to go to find what I need. Forums like these are invaluable in helping car owners enjoy their cars to the fullest.

So what tweeter did you use, and how does it sound?
Share!

 

[billross77]

I dont have it tuned quite right yet. Its an Infinity Reference, so its not a super high end speaker, but it doesnt sound too harsh. I was more nervous putting those in than anything else. Having to use a Dremel to cut out the lining of the tweeter hole on the A pillar was very nerve racking, then I had to dremel off the side pieces of the screw on backing so it would fit inside the pillar. Luckily, I figured out that I could run the long built in cross over down into a big gap behind the AC vent that goes to the door.

 

[jbailer]

I got it all hooked up. I kept all the wiring and soldered new wiring from the post amp harness, with the exception of the rear deck speakers. Everything went back together just fine, except the hood release latch. I managed to break that somehow.

Lots of people have broken their hood latch. That thing is very flimsy plastic. I highly recommend replacing it with the Steeda Hood Latch

http://www.steeda.com/2015-2016-mustang-hood-latches/

 

[mumbles]

Glad everything worked out!

 

[billross77]

This is why I love this forum!

Lots of people have broken their hood latch. That thing is very flimsy plastic. I highly recommend replacing it with the Steeda Hood Latch

http://www.steeda.com/2015-2016-mustang-hood-latches/

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